Jul/Aug 2015

Our cold winter is driving an increase in energy equiries at the BRCT office, and through insulation orders we’ve received it appears that insulation installation in Blueskin homes is growing again. Insulation is only part of the picture of course; clean heat is the other part and we still don’t have all the solutions there. We’re receiving more enquiries and requests for assistance than ever now, and we’re doing our best to provide the needed services, whether affordable insulation, free energy advice, Home Performance Assessments or simply community connections.

While the BRCT office was not closed over the school holidays, it was noticably quieter, not in terms of work, but in terms of outside activity.

All that came to an end when school started back and we enjoyed the Mihi whakatau to welcome Waitati School’s new principal, Stacey Honeywill and also formally welcomed BRCT’s John into the Waitati School hub

of education, environment and community office. There is something very special about being right next to the school and early childhood community, and it is not uncommon to have smaller visitors pop in to look at the inverter for example, and ask insightful questions about solar PV.

Recently, and thanks to BRCT associate Bridget Irving, we submitted on the Otago Regional Policy Statement. You can find our submission on the website. And with the draft Dunedin Environment Strategy and Energy Plan just released, there’s more to read and consider through the coming month. We've also had visitors aplenty through the office, and now have tickets for the Grass Roots Gig in September available both here at the office and from Blueskin Library. Because Long Beach Hall is such an authentic, compact country hall, there will be a very limited number of door sales, so I encourage you to get in early for tickets. And the theme? Its “Hard Times” – an opportunity for you to dig down into grandma and grandpa’s wardrobe, or hey, just come as you are! (There will be prizes…).

BRCT associate Neville Auton has been looking at household carbon emissions as we prepare for the Public Health Association conference in September. Conference organisers are aiming for a carbon neutral conference and we’re working with them to ensure it is just that. And we’re looking forward the Blueskin Market in September to have a discussion about food futures and examine the results of the Blueskin and Karitane Food System report. In keeping with the food theme, the latest Cuppa Tea article by Hilary Rowley is a mouth-watering treat on gardening seasonally in Blueskin, and just what to do with the fruits of your labour. It is just the type of thing to motivate you in the lead up to spring, and who thought we could grow so much here? We are still seeking donations to replace our aging computers and to make a donation to assist our work you can do so in the following ways: Email BRCT at office@brct.org.nz, or Donate using internet banking via our website. Donations are tax deductible so please make sure we have your name and address.

The BRCT office is in the old dental clinic at Waitati School, tel: 4822048 , or just check out our website (www.brct.org.nz).

A message from our Patron Jeanette Fitzsimons:"I'm enormously proud to be associated with the
Blueskin pioneers. We need resistance to the bad ideas
and demonstration of the good. The Blueskin demonstration
provides inspiration to many who want to follow this path.
Well done, and keep going!"